Duck and goose call



Jan. 22, 1952 W. J. WADE 2,583,400

DUCK AND GoosE CALL Filed April 15, 194e 53 IN VEN TOR.

w27/fm fn/ad@ Patented Jan. 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,583,400 DUCK'AND GoosE CALL William J. Wade, Seattle, Wash.

Application April 15, 1946, Serial No. 662,218

.4 Claims. (Cl. 4B-180) This invention relates to a duck and goose call of a type used by hunters to attract wild ducks and geese.

An object of this invention is to provide a wild duck and goose call that is adapted for hand operation rather than operati-on by mouth.

Another object is to provide a wild duck and goose call in which the reed portion of the instrument is shielded from dampness so that it will not become impaired by water or freezing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a duck and goose call embodying a member having a sound chamber therein, a hollow collapsible rubber bulb connected with said member and a reed assembly positioned within said bulb and operated by air set in motion by the compressing. of said bulb, said reed assembly communicating with said sound chamber.

Another object is to provide a duck and goose call embodying a member having a sound chamber therein and provided with `means for adjusting the area of an opening between said sound chamber and the atmosphere to thereby vary the volume of sound emitted.

Another object is to provide a duck and goose call in which the sound is produced by a vibratory reed and in which tone control means is provided in engagement with said reed and longitudinally adjustable along the same to vary the tone produced by said reed.

Another object is to provide a duck and goose call in which the sound is derived from vtwo independent reeds to provide a blending of lsounds and in which each reed is provided with independently adjustable tone control means to aid in producingrealistic calls.

Other objects Aof this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, with parts in elevation, showing a duck and goose call constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are cross sectional views of said device taken on brokenlines 2---2` 3-3 and [-4 Fig. `9A is a detached fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of another modified form of reed assembly.

Fig. 10 is a detached longitudinal sectional view of a reed assembly having two reeds provided therein.

Fig. 11 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in section and with parts broken away, showing a duck and goose call of modified form.

Fig. l2 is a cross sectional view taken 'substantially on broken line I2-I2 of Fig. 11.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring rst to Figs. 1 to 8, I show a duck and goose call comprising Ya hollow body member S5, preferably shaped to simulate the head of a waterfowl although obviously said body may be of any other external configuration.

The body I5 is internally recessed to provide a sound chamber or cavity I6 and the cavity I6 has an opening I'l 'extending along the bottom thereof, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Opposed longitudinal grooves I8 are provided in the body member I5 along opposite sides of the opening I1 for the reception of preferably two slide members I9 and 2D. A finger piece 2I is provided on each slide member I9 and 29 to facilitate movement of the slide member along the grooves I8. The slide members I9 and 29 operate like sliding doors to regulate the `area of the opening I1. The grooves I8 extend beyond the ends of the opening I1 to allow .retractile movement of the slide members I9 and 20 substantially clear of the said opening I1.

Fig. 5 illustrates an alternative manner of providing sliding means to vary the area of the opening inthe lower portion of the body member of a duck and goose call. liig.V 5 discloses a body member I5 having a cavity I6 and an opening I'I corresponding to parts I5, I6 and I1 of Figs. l to 4. The body member I5 has external longitudinal ribs I4 that are sldably engaged by hook-like edge portions I3 of a slide I9' which is movable to vary the area of the opening I1. Obviously another slide like the slide I9 can be provided to operate in the same manner as the two slides I9 and 20 of Figs. 1 to 4.

A tubular fittingy 22 is xedly secured within theopen end portion of the body member VI5 and projects therefrom, as shown in Fig. 1. A ange 23 on the bottom portion of the fitting 22 extends a substantial distance into the cavity IG and the slide I9, when retracted, is positioned under this flange 23.

A collapsible hollow bulb member 24, prefer- 3 ably formed of rubber, has a neck portion that ts over the fitting 22. Preferably means 28 is provided on the bulb member 24 to facilitate suspending this device from the belt of a person using the same.

A reed assembly supported by the fitting 22 protrudes into and is housed by the bulb 24. This reed assembly comprises a cylindrical plug member 21 that fits snugly within the fitting 22 and a reed support 28 that is secured to the plug member 21, preferably by fitting it into said plug member 21. Preferably the plug member 21 and the portion of the reed support 28 that telescopes thereinto have interfltting ribs and grooves as shown in Fig. 8, to minimize side swing of the reed support 28 and to provide a better connection between these two parts.

The reed support 28 has a groove or air channel 29 therein. The groove 29 communicates through an opening 30 with an expanding or bell shaped opening 3| in the member 21. The groove 29 extends longitudinally along one side of the reed support 23 and the bottom of said groove is curved so that said groove is of gradually increasing depth from its outer or left hand end, Fig. 6, toward its inner or right hand end, which is connected with the member 21. A reed 32 is positioned over the channel 29. The thickness of this reed is necessarily exaggerated in the drawings. In practice I nd that a reed having a thickness of about ten thousandths of an inch at the base end, shown at the right in Fig. 6, and from four to six thousandths of an inch at the tip end, shown at the left in Fig. 6, is satisfactory. The base end portion of the reed 32 is secured to the reed support 28, as by a rubber band 33. The tip end portion of the reed 32 curves away from the adjacent face of the reed support 28.

An adjustable damping device, herein referred to as a tone control, contacts the reed 32 and is movable longitudinally thereof. The tone control shown in Figs. 1 to 4, 6, 'I and 8, comprises a reed engaging member 34, preferably of nonmetallic material, such as fiber. The reed engaging member 34 is mounted within a bracket member 35 of inverted channel shape, Fig. '1. The bracket member 35 has inturned end portions 36 that engage within and are movable along grooves 31 in the sides of the reed support 28.

The curvature of the grooves 31 conforms to the curvature of the top portion of the reed support 28, see Fig. 1, and the reed engaging member 34 is spported so that it will always hold the portion of the reed 32 engaged thereby in contact with the top portion of said reed engaging member. Movement of the reed engaging member 34 along the reed 32 will provide a variation in the tone emitted as a result of vibration of said reed 32. The bracket 35 and reed engaging member 34 can be adjusted along the reed 32 by removing the bulb member 24 and directly applying the fingers to the bracket 35. However, Figs. 1, 2, and 6 show an adjusting member in the form of a wire 38 connected with the bracket 35 and extending through a groove 39 of cylindrical plug member 21, see Fig. B, into the cavity I5. The end 42 of the Wire 38 in the cavity I6 is preferably bent, as shown in Fig. l, whereby the user may insert a finger through the opening I1 and engage the end portion 42 to adjust the tone control. Obviously if the wire 38 is a relatively strong spring wire guided so that it will have substantially no side play this wire alone can be successfully used to 4 support the reed engaging member 34 and the bracket 35 can be dispensed with. Thus the reed contacting member can be supported and guided by means that extends outwardly from the plug member 21.

Fig. 9 shows a reed assembly in which the reed 32 is held by clamping the butt end portion 43 theerof between the cylindrical member 21 and the reed support 28, the rubber band 33 shown in Fig. 1, for adjusting the tone control means 34, 35 being omitted in Fig. 9. The reed support shown in Fig. 9 preferably has a bottom portion 40 that is curved to substantially the same shape as the top side of said reed support and a tone control bracket 35', similar to bracket 35 is provided with inwardly bent portions 36', one of which is shown, that extend around and engage with the curved bottom 48.

Fig. 9A shows a reed engaging member 65 supported by an overhanging plate 66 that is rigid with and carried by the plug 21. Guide means, such as lugs 61 on member 65 operating in a slot 68 of plate 66, provide for adjustment of member 65 either by application of the fingers directly theerto or by means, such as wire 38 of Figs. 1 and 6.

Fig. 10 shows a construction in which two reeds 45 and 46 are provided on opposite sides of a reed support 41. The reed support 41 has two grooves 48 and 4S over which the respective reeds 45 and 46 are positioned. Two independently adjustable tone control devices 50 and 5| are provided for the respective reeds 45 and 46. These tone control devices are similar to the tone control devices shown in Figs. 1 to 8 except that the adjusting wires are omitted in Fig. l0. The use of two reeds makes it possible to secure a blending of tones not obtainable with a single reed.

Figs. 11 and 12 show a modified form of the invention in which the body portion of this duck and goose call is not only shaped like the head of a waterfowl but is made in two parts 52 and 53 which are relatively hinged for opening and closing movement toward and away from each other to provide for adjusting the volume of sound. The two parts 52 and 53 are mounted on a tubular member 54 that has a rubber bulb 55 theron and carries a reed assembly 56. The bulb 55 and reed assembly 56 are similar to the bulb and reed assembly shown in Fig. 1, except that the tone control adjusting wire 40 is preferably omitted. One of the body parts, such as part 52, may be xed to the tubular member 54 and the other part 53 may be pivotally mounted, as by means 51, for opening and closing movement relative to the part 52. A close fitting rubber band 58 can be used to encircle the parts 52 and 53 at the end portions thereof that t over the tubular member 54 to yieldingly urge the two members 52 and 53 together. A screw 59 can be used to relatively move and hold these two members apart. Preferably the edge portions 50 of the two members 52 and 53 overlap each other, as shown in Fig. 12, when the two parts 52 and 53 are closed relative to each other. In relatively moving the two parts 52 and 53 from a closed to an open position these parts will first begin to open at the outer end or tip and the opening along the sides will taper convergently from the outer end toward the inner end. This has been found to provide an eiiicient and satisfactory control for varying the volume or loudness of the sound, and to a certain extent the tone of the sound.

In the use of this duck and goose call the user usually hangs the device from his belt in a position where the bulb 24 can readily be grasped by the lingers of one hand with the thumb on the outer end of the bulb. By pressure of the thumb against the outer end of the bulb the bulb is compresed and air forced out through the reed carrying assembly and past the reed. This vibrates the reed and produces a sound similar to that of a waterfowl. The amount of air expelled and the velocity at which this air passes the reed can both be very accurately controlled by movement of the thumb thus applied to the end of the bulb. This gives the operator an instantly responsive control by which he can,

to a certain extent, vary the tone and loudness and time duration of the call. Adjustment of the tone control means 34, 35 makes it possible to secure further variations in tone or pitch of the sound. Adjustment of the area of the opening Il of Fig. 1 or the area of opening between parts 52 and 53 of Fig. 12 will vary the volume or loudness of the sound emitted, proportional to the area of the opening, and to a certain extent, will vary the tone.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclosed preferred embodiments of my invention but it will be understood that changes in the same may be made within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a call of the class described, a body portion having a chamber therein, said chamber having an opening; slide means movable to regulate the area of said opening; a collapsible hollow rubber bulb connected with said body portion; and reed type sound producing means communicating with said chamber and shielded in said bulb and adapted to be operated by movement of air produced by compressing said bulb.

2. In a duck and goose call, a hollow body member having a sound chamber therein, said sound chamber having an opening to the atmosphere positioned along one side thereof; a sound producing device communicating with said sound chamber, said, sound producing device having a vibratory reed; a collapsible hollow rubber bulb enclosing said sound producing device and connected with said hollow body member; a

t? tone control member contacting said reed and movable longitudinally thereof, said tone control member being entirely housed within said bulb and said body member; and nger engaging means on said tone control member accessible through said sound chamber opening, whereby said tone control member is operable from within said sound chamber for adjusting said tone control member.

3. In a duck and goose call a reed assembly comprising a tubular plug member; a reed support extending outwardly from said plug meinber; a tapered longitudinal groove in said reed support; a vibratory reed positioned over said groove; a reed holding means connected with the base portion of said reed; a U-shaped bracket fitting over said reed support; a tone control member carried by said bracket and engaging said reed; and means on the read support en- 1 gaged by the bracket to guide the bracket for longitudinal adjustment along the reed support.

4. In a duck and goose call, a reed assembly comprising a tubular plug member; a reed support extending outwardly from said plug member; two longitudinally extending tapered grooves provided in different sides of said reed support; two vibratory reeds positioned over the respective grooves; means securing the base portions of said reeds to said reed support and plus,r

member; and two tone control members con- Y tacting the respective reeds and independently adjustable longitudinally of the respective reed members.

WILLIAM J. WADE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 209,274 Montagne Oct. 22, 1878 993,336 Berton May 30, 1911 1,092,862 Roitman Apr. 14, 1914 1,484,148 Olt Feb. 19, 1924 1,855,527 Muehlstein Apr. 26, 1932 2,158,740 Brinkman May 16, 1939 2,385,752 Wilson Sept. 25, 1945 

